The invention comprises a definite improvement over the expiring Ponza U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,255, 1957, a comprising two adjacent standards for left and right handed batters, with balls on irregularly curved, only slightly flexible and rather rigid swingable arms, returnable to initial position by the equivalent of torsion spring action with the standards. In case of the captive, hollow, flexible ball on flexible material arm substantially anchored to a standard, the blow in Mueller U.S. Pat. 3,271,030, the arm flexes responsive to the blow on the ball.
In the Andersen U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,437, the balls are at the ends of coil springs which in turn extend from the ends of arms fixed rigidly to a common standard to extend oppositely therefrom, the standard being motor driven. The O'Leary U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,018,1972, is simply to a tethered ball, the tether comprising a long cord which extends from the outer end of a swing structure, swingable about a standard.
The invention relates to a pole extending centrally from a swing structure, and supported by guy lines which extend respectively upwardly and downwardly from pole connection to swing structure. A substantially rigid, slightly yieldable, cord assembly supports the ball outwardly from the pole. When the ball is struck by a batter the pole swings with the swing structure to which it is connected and strikes sidewardly against vertically extending coil springs sidewardly against vertically extending coil springs or resilient means which normally extend vertically between frame members directed diagonally rewardly and outwardly. Thus the pole, in striking the resilient means, bows them inwardly, but they reflex and straighten out and urge the pole, in return swing, back to central or forwardly extending position for the ball to be struck again.
As a primary object the invention provides a pole from the outer end of which the ball is supported to be struck, whereby the pole swings with a swing structure, the pole in course of rearward swing strikes sidewardly against, and bows the resilient means inwardly, after which the resilient means returns to normal upright position of initial extent; the force of return urging the pole to swing back around to initial position with the ball disposed forwardly to be struck again by a batter.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a pole swing return type device of this class, in which the ball, of a live latex or rubber material, is supported by a substantially rigid but slightly flexible composite cord, which includes the guy wires anchored centrally in the ball, and extending upwardly and downwardly to swing structure, swingable upon a standard or upright.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a device of this class equipped with a frame to rear of swing structure which extends outwardly and rearwardly on each side thereof with the sides of the frame comprising normally vertically extending coil springs disposed in substantially equally spaced apart relationship from forward coil nearest swing structure and in diagonally extending line of coils, successively spaced apart rearwardly and outwardly.
Also it is an object of the invention to provide a swingable pole that carries the ball to be struck, the pole swinging centrally with a swing structure, with upper and lower guy lines connected, respectely, to swing structure above and below the pole swing connection.
Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification hereinbelow is considered with relation to the drawings, as hereinbelow briefly described, and as further described in detail under the caption of DETAILED DESCRIPTION.